Be Free from Killer Stress

Many an article and product has appeared about freeing you from stress. Concepts such as anxiety, exhaustion, frustration, distress, tension, mourning, fear, etc were soon brought under this one word. As a result a clear analysis of the stress phenomena was not possible. Psychoanalytic and neuro-analysis give more insights into stress symptoms . Psychological stress response show the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones like adrenalin/epinephrine and cortisol. This sheds more light on the cause and effects of stress.

How do we define stress with the many concepts added to it? Stress has over the years gained a definition of a state in which the demands on physical or mental energy is excess. This adversely disturbs the physical or mental health of an individual. Medical terminology determines it as a perturbation of the bodys homeostasis.

Modern folklore of stress is spawning an industry of popular psychology, self-help, and personal counseling material. This is largely due to the nature of our lifestyle. Our modern lifestyle tends to cause continual sympathetic nervous system activation. This is a disturbance in the balance; parasympathetic nervous system also needs to activate. This allows bowel movements, non-muscles organs pupils, and glands the necessary blood flow and functional requirements. Poor healing, organ functions and digestion is the cause for various other ailments.

In this urban culture everyone suffers from stress. Causes are relationship demands, pressure at work places, traffic snarls, growing up tensions and varied other situations. It is vital for some parasympathetic action in our bodies. We need to take time out from our modern lifestyles. We need to give our bodies some rest. It is accumulated stress that causes acute and chronic psychosomatic illness.

Each person has their own method to manage stress. Some go for relaxation through exercises, massage, deep breathing, meditation, soothing music, visualization and other alternative methods. Personal growth and counseling has shown that we can manage stress to our advantage. If you need motivation; psyching up is an effective stress arousal technique to handle the job

How to tackle stress?
The psychological consequences of exposure to stressful experiences may be quite traumatic. A psychologically weak person may have post traumatic stress disorder. For normal person handing stress is important as well.
Anticipate stressful events and plan to cope or avoid them.
Do not give over importance to an event. Reducing its importance can help in proper focus on goals.
Reduce stress by imagining a peaceful scene. Practicing deep breathing simultaneously can help.
Awareness of your thought could help you channel it toward rational and positive thinking.
Self hypnosis is easy and helps you in controlling the inputs into your mind.
Physical exercise has a lot of benefits; improved blood flow, better functioning of organs, enhanced sleep and a sense of well being.
Time management also is an important concept in reducing stress. Avoid distractions and use your time effectively.
Attitudinal changes can be brought about by looking to see if others are faced with a situation like yours. The responses that the situation deems necessary could be taken by rationalizing the attitude you have.
Change is essential. Your adaptation to a situation could lead you to be in control and not controlled.
Natural and artificial stimulants are not the only way out of stress. Be aware of the function and effects of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sugar etc.
Factors like air quality, lighting, cleanliness, noise, etc can intrude into your personal space and trigger of stressful reactions. Remodel the environment around you for a relaxing mood.

Stress in moderation is necessary as it increases our performance. Getting over stressed is the danger.

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What is stress?

Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a medical term for a wide range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature.
An emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health which can be characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability and depression. Stress does not cause migraine but can be a migraine "trigger".
A condition in which the organism is subjected to unfavourable or unfamiliar environmental conditions, resulting in some alteration in normal physical functioning. Short-term stress can often be overcome. Long-term stress can reduce resistance to disease and parasites, inhibit self-healing processes, and reduce life-span.